This file photo shows school kids looking at their smartphones. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, April 25 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea plans to introduce a new service that allows teenagers to delete or hide posts that they uploaded on the internet when they were younger, the data protection watchdog said Monday.
The Personal Information Protection Commission announced it would begin a trial project to increase control over children’s and teenagers’ privacy.
Normally, a person who has left an online community or forgotten their account information can hide their posts from others by asking the online community manager.
However, children and teenagers are either unaware of this method or find the procedures too complex, leaving them unable to take any action.
Citizens under 24 years of age will now be able to use the “Right to be Forgotten Service” to easily request the removal of their posts.
All they need to do is provide the URL of the post they uploaded when they were younger than 18 years old and now wish to delete, along with documentation proving that they created the post.
The government will then ask the online community manager on behalf of the person to prohibit access to the post.
It will also connect applicants directly with service providers to minimize difficulties arising from seeking access limits on posts.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
